Do we REALLY need longer shafts?
 

I remember reading an article about Jack Nicklaus. The title was "All I know" and had some 100 observations that Jack thought was the most important about the game. As far as I can recall one of them was "most golfers should use normal length shafts".

I went to a clubfitter. He looked at my swing and I ended up being fitted with shafts a whopping 1,25 inches longer than standard.

Maybe I wanted to be "special".
Or maybe I wanted a trick helping me to play better.

Either way I bought his advice.

Fast forward while learning some about TGM.

Looking at my swing video it was clear I kepy my right shoulder too high. Eventually resulting in pulls. I started suspecting my clubs.

And today I found a fitters station where I could grab 2 6-irons same make and type as my current ones. Only that they were regular length and 1/2 inch extended respectively. The latter 2 degrees upright.

Result. I hit the regular length and 1/2" extended irons far better than the ones I carry. Straighter and Longer.

So I am looking for a regular length set. For sure.

And opinions...

yeh i dont really belive in the whole idea of longer clubs for taller golfers. unless you are really tall i have a freind that is 6'8" and his clubs are 1 1/2 over the main reason is just when your that tall you have to bend them really upright and stand alot closer to the ball. but for the average guy under 6'5 i would think standard would be great just make sure the lies are correct. as they get longer they become alot harder to hit. i once made a 3 iron that was the length of a wedge really easy to hit straight, and think if you had a wedge the length of a 3 iron that would be really hard to hit.

I think I remember Jack saying that if anyone should get longer clubs then it should be the short person.

The problem with length and lie angle is that both are often misunderstood without knowlege of TGM. I never have used height or arm length to determine a golf club. I simply use a dowel and have the player build a right arm flying wedge. Then simply have them go to fix with said wedge in a comfortable position. Adjust dowel length and there you have a pretty good idea what length is correct.
Said another way, use your existing club, create right arm wedge, lower to fix and see if the club is flat to the ground and is it comfortable. I did this recently with a golf pro and he said, "I don't think I could hit it from here."
There is more than 1 acceptable plane angle to swing on and as a teacher/fitter I try to find the one that is best for the
student.
Watch a junior, most have clubs that are to long and to heavy. Very rarely are they "over" plane. In fact they are often under plane. I see shorter clubs causing over the top moves because the player does not have enough right arm to get to the ball.

I had exactly the same experience. I wasted 2 seasons playing with clubs 1.25" overlength. I am now playing much better with a set 1/4" overlength.

One perfect example of players killing themselves via club length is clubs made in Japan. For ages they were 1" longer than USA club standards as the popular belief was that since they were shorter in stature the needed longer clubs to generate the same biff.

Of course the longer a club is the harder it is to hit the sweet spot. That is true for tall or small:) The flying wedge fit is something that I do down here as it does actually make sense to players to be best fitted for impact rather than 'standard address'.

Of coures comfort for hieght comes into it but we need to be in that power strike zone the best way possible. I have dealth with international cricket fast bowles standing 6'8" and yet their clubs were not that much longer than standard in the end.

Get those impact decals working and tinker with length and watch the balls length. It does not take a lot of time and effort to work out a dymanic length for best average fitting.

It is interesting that you say it is harder to hit the sweet spot with a longer club. This past week I was visiting a club in New York to help sell some golf clubs and teach. One gentleman I worked with is a retired golf professional and he just watched me for the first day. Toward the end of the day we started talking and he asked for my help. I asked what he was trying to achieve in his swing and he told me. Anyway after 15 minutes he was amazed and confused. He was hitting the ball longer, higher, and straighter than ever before. What confused him was that the 39.5" 57 degree (standard effective lie angle) was far superior to his 38.5" 59 degree (standard effect lie angle). The longer club looked as though he had only hit 1 ball on the face tape yet he had actually hit 5!!! The shorter club had marks from the center to the toe. We all need to be careful with stereo-types in fitting.

I agree with the sterotype idea. I too have had a 70 year old that hit a longer club more solidly than a sorter one. Some people seem to dip at a ball with a shorter club rather than feeling more athletic and comfortable standing taller (read less spine angle changes). It is why a dynamic fitting is always better than any stand up test adn rubbishy hands to floor readings.

I've been recently fitted for new shafts. The technician, at the end of the session performed a static measure from my hand down to the floor and claimed I needed 1/2" longer shafts. I replied that I've been playing standard lengths for 30 years. He replied: "So what?" :(

He said: "It's easier to reduce the length than to add length to the shaft." :( :(

I re-visit him Thursday to test and set the lie angles. I'll see.

Daryl,
The last time I checked, there are no "shaft police" looking at everyone's shaft. :)

The static check is just the beginning step in determining the proper length. If this shaft is to be used in your irons make sure he does a dynamic check.
If it is for your woods the extra length in the shaft will mean just a few yards if you are straight but it could mean a lot longer walh into the woods when you are off. As you lengthen the shaft your accuracy will go to pot a lot faster than the extra length you will gain.

If you have been hitting that length shaft for thirty years and do not have a distance problem why change it?